What a day!

I get just tired and confused thinking about today!  It was a busy one - not quite sure that today was what the classes and books have told us to do these first few days, but I have seen some serious bonding between father and son.  I must go on the record though to state that Matt started it!  :-)

After breakfast, we played a bit in the room with toys and books then skyped with Kuya Jack, Kuya Nick and Ate Mary Beth. It was good to hear their voices & see them - a little blurry though.  They sound great and are just going to be wonderful for Rammy.  Matt was spinning a football on the floor and Rammy immediately began to try and do the same.  Then, I through the ball up in the air and caught it, so Rammy through a notebook up in the air.  oops!  We had a good time playing with the recorded storybook I had sent him.  He kept pushing the record instructions & I would press stop.  He kept swatting me away, so I picked up the book and placed it on my head and walked away.  He followed and  proceeded to try and climb up on me to get to it.  A funny silly time together - bonding.  He is a little ham!

After that, we rested & took in a little Sesame Street downloads - Matt was wise to bring the Ipod for the flight home.  We have Sesame Street & Diego to watch!  Rammy loved the Ipod and used the earbuds no problem.  Then, Mom knew it was bubble time.  We went to the roof and Rammy was a natural!  I've never scene a toddler figure out how to blow bubbles so quickly - of course, he also figured out how to poor the whole bottle on himself, too!  ;-)  It was fun.  His fighting spirit came through in this activity because he wouldn't give up on the bubbles even when it was all gone!  He turned to Mommy to wipe his bubble hands - need met.

After lunch and a nap - staying on schedule still, the Dicen adoption journey took a wrong turn off the "what to do the first week with your new child" path . . . I know they don't recommend taking your child to Disney, but what about the Manila Ocean Aquarium Park?  I mean that's not Disney, right?  Anyway, so he touched a starfish - he liked it!  Really!!!!  Except when he tried to touch by himself and startled and turned and ran into my arms.  I loved that moment - need met.  I also loved the moment where he wanted a stuffed octopus but Mommy didn't have the pesos, so I told him we had to ask Daddy - show him what you want.  He took Daddy by the hand & went straight to the octopus.  Needless to say, we are the proud owners of a mint green stuffed octopus.  :-)  Daddy meeting a need - I mean every kid needs a mint green octopus!   I enjoyed hearing him growling at the fish and crocodiles with confidence while in the safety of his Daddy's arms.  Precious.

Then we were off to the Aristocrat, a long standing restaurant known for it's Filipino delicacies, for dinner.  I must be the first to admit - Matt started it.  The food fight that is.  Ok, it only took place at our table but for sure was a food fight.  Matt has been aggravating Rammy since yesterday - just asking for trouble!  So, like any good Dicen boy, Rammy brought it!  :-)  This is the part where the mommies from Gentle Hands will cringe because they have done such an amazing job raising their children with excellent table manners - sorry girls.  Rammy began to try and get his Daddy's attention at the table (this may have been after I gave him some tastes of the cake his Lola Baby gave him before dinner - oopsy!).  He kept teasing Matt thinking he would get his attention - Matt thought it would be a good idea to see how far Rammy would go to get his attention - well, let's just say that might not have been a good idea? Rammy first took a piece of his scrambled egg & dipped it in the Shang Hi Roll sauce (mimicking his daddy's actions) and threw it at him.  Matt didn't react (again, waiting to see how far Rammy would go - don't ask me why.  I don't know.  Guy think I'm assuming).  So Rammy, proceeded to take his hand and place it in the shang hi roll sauce and grab Matt's arm with it!  Matt again did not react other than clean himself up (please know that I was busy eating my Halo Halo with Ube ice cream and didn't see any of this but kept hearing Rammy laughing hysterically!)  Finally, Rammy grabbed Matt's arm and leaned over and drooled on him!  That was the last straw & Matt caved!  As I listened to my husband's re-cap, I'm sure I haven't done it justice.  Need met - male bonding!  :-)  Even as I walked him around & tried sitting on a bench to cradle him, Rammy looked at me and said Dada & touched his head.  I took him to Matt and he crawled right up in his lap.  He loves his daddy.

Of course, it is Ash Wednesday in the Philippines, so traffic was heavy.  It took us a long time to get home, but Rammy was on my lap the whole time playing with his octopus that he conveniently could suction cup to the window (I don't know how he knew to do that but he did), and I cuddled, caressed, squeezed and loved on my third son.  It was a most precious time - even though it wasn't written in the books. . . and I feel a little guilty about running about with him so soon . . . it was nice.

We were in the room an hour past bedtime & he went to sleep.  But tonight was different... I leaned over and kissed him good night, prayed over him - basically tucked him in.  Matt was busy doing something else.  I grabbed a shower. I thought for sure he would be out by the time I got out of the shower, but Rammy was still awake.  I couldn't believe it.  As I laid down, I looked at him with a mint green octopus over his face laying on his pallet and heard, "Dada, Dada, Dada, Dada..."  I looked at Matt and asked him if he tucked Rammy in - you know, Matt - did you kiss him goodnight?  Matt said no.  So, he got down on the floor and kissed and squeezed on him just like he does our other three.  Then Rammy went to sleep right away.  I think he was waiting for Daddy to tuck him in - it was a good day.


A good day not because we're awesome parents or because we went to awesome places or because Rammy has been in an awesome orphanage (although it is an incredible place) or because we've been in an incredibly wonderful hotel - it's a good day because we serve an awesome God who is sovereign and who has blanketed in His grace because you have blanketed us in prayer.  Thank you!  Tomorrow we go to ICAB to get Rammy's papers.  Prayers appreciated.  We will fly home Thursday night US time and be home Friday!